CELEBRATION was more than just Fulford to the brim, it was overflowing for York Union of Golf Clubs' whose county campaign got off to a cracking start.

The York Union side opened its 2006 season hosting Yorkshire Inter-District Union Scratch League champions Leeds GC at Fulford GC, the course marking its centenary this year.

Maybe it was the commemorative air, but York conjured a magical performance to post a glittering 19-17 triumph, inflicting the first defeat for more than a year on the reigning champions.

Indeed, as YUGC secretary Mike Thompson revealed, it was the first time York had prised anything from their Leeds opponents for more than a decade.

"For the last time we had any joy against Leeds you have to go back to 1994 when we halved our match with them, again at Fulford," said a delighted Thompson, who added that he had not known a better victory in his 20 years of involvement with the Union.

"In the context of the opposition, who won every match last season, that's got to be the best win I have seen," hailed Thompson.

"The game was played in such a tremendous spirit. It was a credit to the Union. They came to win, make no doubt about that, but so did we."

York's conquest was all the more impressive given that a quarter of the original 12 named for the match, including returning former pro Jamie Miller, had to withdraw. That prompted the selectors to call up a stand-by trio of Matthew Lord, Duncan Bruce and Lee Grant, the former York City defender, who was making his York Union debut.

All contributed to the victory on a day of high-drama that started in the morning foursomes, where Leeds stalwart and Yorkshire cap Andy King was informed by his playing partner Ashley Smith that he had 15 clubs rather than the regulation 14 in his bag. The discovery was made after the first three holes were played, so King, who is a good friend of Thompson, immediately accepted the statutory three-hole penalty which was a contributing factor in losing by one hole to Grant and Pike Hills' James Hudson.

The foursomes ended with York 7-5 ahead, with the drama then continuing into the 12 afternoon singles.

By the time of the last three matches, Leeds had taken a two-point lead and this, despite victories for Alister Smith (Heworth), Lord (Fulford) and an emphatic 6 and 5 triumph for Malton and Norton's Stuart Parkin.

But both Heworth player Bruce (5 and 3) and Fulford's Nick Marchant (4 and 3) had equally resounding wins to leave York again two points to the good.

Everything hinged on the final duel out on the course between home vice-captain Jim Batt and Andy Wiltshire. A victory for the Leeds man would have tied the game at 18-18, but Heworth's Batt showed a steely nerve to hole a five-foot pressure putt on the final hole to halve his match and seal York's 19-17 win.

Declared Thompson: "It's such a great way to start the season. It's given us a good platform to go on from here."

Updated: 08:43 Saturday, May 27, 2006